Production of textile threads and fabrics



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PRODUCTION OF TEXTILE THREADS AND FABRICS and Donald Finlayson,

Henry Dreyfus, London,

England, assignors to Spondon, near Derby,

produced with the aid of natural silk yarns which contain water-insoluble compounds, whether have been highly twisted while in the gummed compounds of pigment-like character in such state. After an aqueous scouring treatment such form as materially to modify the lustre of the fabrics exhibit the well known crepe effects and filaments (e. g. barium sulphate or titanium are highly valued on account of their pleasing dioxide), or loading metal compounds, for ex- 10 appearance and handle. The production of crepe ample tin compounds. fabrics in an analogous manner by the use of In carrying out the new process twisting is highly twisted cellulose acetate threads is, howmost advantageously efl'ected on a device of the ever, accompanied by great difliculties. Genkind in which the thread is drawn off over the l5",erally, the crepe effect obtained by simply apend of a rotating package through a guide fixed plying to a cellulose acetate thread a twistof substantially in line with the axis of rotation the order of that commonly employed in conof the package and is thereafter wound on a nection with natural silk, weaving the twisted bobbin or the like, the thread .being passed threads into a fabric and scouring the latter, through hot water on its way from the guide is very unsubstantial and not comparable with' to the bobbin. In this way the yarn is sub- 20 that obtained with natural silk or regenerated jected to the action of the hot water during cellulose artificial silk. the actual application of twist.

It has now been found that by crepe twist- On the other hand, any other suitable crepe ing threads of cellulose acetate or other cellulose twisting device may be employed. For example esters or ethers in the presence of hot water, it a ring twister may be used for the crepe twistis possible to produce cellulose acetate or other ing of thread consisting of discontinuous cellucellulose ester or ether crepe threads having, as lose acetate filaments. An essential characteriscompared with threads produced by a simple tic of a ring twisting device is that the thread twisting operation, greatly improved properties, is twisted as it is wound on to a rotating packparticularly as regards strength and the ability age. 30 to yield fabrics exhibiting good crepe effects. The twisting spindle, the guide fixed in line In accordance with the present invention, with the axis of the spindle, and the hot water therefore, in the production of highly twisted atment dev c Should be 0 arranged that the crepe threads of cellulose acetate or other celtwist resulting from the rotation of the packlulose ester or ether, the threads are treated with age is at least pa t inserted While the thread 35 hot water at atmospheric pressure or at any deis in contact with hot water. If the freedom sired pressure during the actual application of of the thread to rotate within the balloon uide crepe twist. Thus, the twisting operation may 1 other uide preceding forming P Of the be conducted so that at least a portion of that hot W t treatment dev e is duly s e part of the track of the running thread in by a s t thread to change direction 40 which twisting actually takes place, lies through materially at the guides, the insertion of twist a body of hot water. For example, the thread while the thread is -in contact with hot water may be twisted on a device of the kind in which y be ted to a n es a e tent o the thread is drawn off over the end of a rotat substantia y prevented and the esult crep ing package and allowed to pass through hot re d m y n t h v h valuable pr p r 45 water on its way to a winding device. which may otherwise be secured. Using a twist- The invention is of particular importance in ing device of the kind in which thread is drawn connection with the production of cellulose aceoff over the end of a rotating package, it is adtate crepe threads and will be more particularly vantageous to arrange that the path of the thread 4 described with reference to the production of after leaving the balloon guide and through the 50 such threads. hot water treatment device, is substantially in The threads may consist of substantially conline with the axis of the spindle.

tinuous filaments of cellulose acetate or they If desired, the above-mentioned twisting demay consist of discontinuous filaments, the'length vices, in which the thread is drawn ofi over the of which may vary within wide limits. For exend of a rotating package, may be provided with 55 Celanese Corporation tion of Delaware of America, a corporarial No. 1934 10 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of crepe threads of cellulose acetate or other cellulose ester or ether and to the production of fabrics therefrom.

It is well known that valuable fabrics may be 4,085. In Great Britain February 9,

ample the threads may be those spun from a mass of discontinuous filaments or those prepared in'the manner described in British Patents Nos. 424,683, 424,752, 424,830 and 424,875.

If desired the filaments of the threads may a device which restricts the ballooning of the thread or the tendency of twist to run back to the package. As examples of such devices may be mentioned fiyers and the floating ring device described in U. S. Patent No. 1,784,581. .The latter device is of particular value when the thread to betwisted is of very low twist, for example less than about 1 turn per inc The treatment of, the thread with hot water during twisting may be effected by drawing the thread off from a twisting spindle and passing it upwardly through a small hole in a suitable re- 'ceptacle containing hot water, the thread then passing to a winding device.- The hole may be, for example, about of an inch in diameter and may be provided with means adapted to lead away and prevent from reaching the twisting spindle, any liquid issuing from the hole. Ii desired, the hole may take the form of a short tube of fine bore, fixed in the receptacle, whereby the flow of liquid from the receptacle at the point of entrance of the thread may be reduced. Another method is to supply hot water to the thread. For example, the thread may be caused to pass in contact with a horizontally disposed roller, preferably circumferentially grooved, arranged to rotate in a bath of hot water and so to carry water to the thread.

The duration of the treatment with hot water may be relatively short, such as may be secured when the thread is travelling at a speed of 2-10 metres per minute and is in contact with hot water for 1-3 inches of its travel. Lengthier treatments may however be employed.

Very good results may be obtained by using hot water at temperatures of 85-100 C. Preferably the water should be as hot as possible and temperatures of, for instance, 95-100" C. are to be recommended. If desired, the hot water may be employed under pressure, for example 2-10 or 15 pounds or more per square inch. The use of pressure enables the water to be employed at higher temperatures than is possible under atmospheric pressure. By using pressure, therefore, the temperature of the water may be above 100 C. and up to the boiling point of water at the pressure employed. Water may be employed under pressure, however, when the temperature is below 100 C.

The initial thread may already be twisted to a small degree, for example up to 10 turns per inch, e. g. to 2-5 turns per inch or to such small degree as is commonly applied in the production of cellulose acetate threads by dry spinning cellulose acetate solutions and winding and twisting the resultant filaments on a cap twisting device.

Incarrying out the new process the crpe twist may be applied in a single stage. If desired, however, the crepe twist may be applied in two 0 or more stages, the final stage of twisting being effected whilst treating the thread with hot water.

When the crepe twist is applied in two or more stages the advantages of the process may be obtained when not only the final stage of the crpe twisting but an earlier stage or stages of twisting are also efiected while treating the thread with hot water. In fact it is of great advantage to effect while treating the thread with hot water, any application of twist beyond the point at which twisting would result in weakening of the thread if the said twisting were effected without the hot water treatment.

The precise degree of twist beyond which it is important to treat with hot water during twisting depends upon the total denier of the thread and the number of its constituent filaments. Generally at least the last two thirds of the total crepe twist should be applied whilst treating the thread with hot water. 7

The cellulose acetate filaments o! the threads very readily undergo stretching when the threads are twisted during treatment with hot water. The amount of stretch may be measured by comparing the original thread denier with the final thread denier (after untwisting). The denier of the resultant thread is, in general, owing to imparted stretch, less and even substantially less than if the hot water treatment is omitted. The stretch imparted to the filaments of the threads during the twisting operation may for example be of the order of 53-30% of their original length, and particularly 10-20%. The degree of stretching of the filaments of the thread may be such that the final denier of the crpe twisted thread is not much in excess of or is even the same or less than the denier of the thread prior to crepe twisting. For example the stretch may be such that the denier of the crpe twisted thread is from to 115%, particularly to %.of that of the thread before crpe twisting, especially in the case of threads having an original denier of 200 or less. Good crepe fabrics may, however, be obtained when the final denier is still greater, for example up to of that of the thread before twisting, particularly when still heavier threads are employed, 1. e. threads having a denier above 200. I

The total twist applied in accordance with the new process may vary within wide limits. The new process possesses the feature that it enables a. very high degree of twist to be applied without the great weakening of the thread such as is generally experienced when a cellulose acetate thread is simply crepe twisted. The process, moreover, permits the insertion of twists which are impossible of attainment without the hot water treatment owing to breakage of the thread. This is important since it enables crepe fabrics to be produced having very pronounced crepe eflects. ,The crepe figure can be regulated according to requirements. The total twist desirable in any particular case depends upon a number of factors, including the precise effects required, and the denier of the thread. For example, with threads of denier twists of about '70 to '75 or more turns per inch are desirable, and with 100 denier threads twists of about 90 to 100' or more turns per inch. With these indications it is a simple matter to determine the desirable twists for threads of other deniers.

When the crpe twist is applied in two or more stages the twist may be divided between the twisting stages in various proportions. Twist applied in the absence of the hot water treatment should not be of such degree as to damage the thread. To this end, as indicated previously, twisting without the hot water treatment should not be effected where the twist applied is will- ,cient to result in substantial weakening of the thread; v

A particularly convenient method of working is to apply about one sixth to one quarter of the total crepe twist without the hot water treatment, say up to 10 or 15-25 or even in some cases up to 30 turns per inch, and then to complete the crepe twist while treating with hot water.

By the new process highly twisted cellulose acetate crepe threads may be produced which are smooth and cylindrical and in which the filaments are extremely closely packed. For example, threads may be obtained which have an apparent specific gravity, as determined from the diameter and denier, of more than 85 per cent., e. g. 85-90 per cent., of the actual specific gravity of the filaments. As appears from microscopic examination of the cross-sections of threads twisted in accordance with the invention, the filaments are squeezed together into substantially as close contact as possible, causing some distortion of at least some of them. The filaments, however, are not stuck together and can be separated upon untwisting.

While the new process enables production of threads which yield satisfactory crepe eifects without a special treatment, other than the twisting and hot water treatment characteristic of the process, other devices and treatments may, if desired, be employed further to improve the propduced therefrom. threads may be sized at any suitable stage of their manufacture, for example in the course of winding on to the bobbin from which twisting is efiected. In this connection, particular mention may be made of sizing materials selected in accordance with the considerations laid down in U. S. application S. No. 491,070 filed 24th October 1930 which has issued as Patent No.

other size which is not very readily removed by aqueous treatments may be employed; Another size which may be employed is a drying oil, if desired one which has been partially oxidized, e. g.

boiled or blown linseed oil.

The highly twisted crepe threads may be incorporated in the fabrics in various ways, for v example the weft alone may be wholly or partially composed of such threads or the warp may also contain them. Valuable fabrics may be produced by employing warp threads of relatively low twist and in the weft both crepe threads having a left-hand twist and crepe threads having a right-hand twist, pairs of threads of lefthand twist alternating with pairs of threads of right-hand twist.

If desired the cellulose acetate crepe threads may be associated in the fabrics with highly twisted crepe threads of other materials, e. g. of

natural silk or regenerated cellulose, or with highly twisted threads produced by other processes. Where the fabrics contain threads'of low twist these may be wholly of cellulose acetate or wholly or in part of other materials, e. g. natural silk or regenerated cellulose.

Fabrics containing highly twisted crepe threads prepared in accordance with the invention may be subjected to a hot aqueous treatment in the manner commonlyadopted in connection with fabrics comprising highly twisted yarns of natural silk. The delustring efiect of hot aqueous baths upon fabrics containing threads of lustrous cellulose acetate may be minimized by incorporation therein of salts or sugars.

Crpe threads of organic esters of cellulose other than cellulose acetate, or of cellulose ethers, and fabrics containing such threads may be prepared in a manner similar to that described in the case of cellulose acetate threads. As examples of such other cellulose esters or ethers may be mentioned cellulose formate, propionate or butyrate, and methyl, ethyl, or benzyl cellulose. Organic esters of cellulose and cellulose ethers, are referred to in the appended claims as organic derivatives of cellulose.

erties of the crpe threads and/or fabrics pro-' For example, the crpe.

2,007,182. For example a casein, egg-albumen, or

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, the thread of filaments being subjected to the action of hot water during theactual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist. I 2. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of filaments of an organic derivative of cellulose, and during at least the last part of the twisting passin the thread through water at a temperature above C. so that the thread of filaments is wetted with the hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist.

3. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, the thread of filaments being subjected to the action of hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist.

4. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, and during at least the last part of the twisting passing the thread through water at a temperature above 95 C. so that the thread of filaments is wetted with the hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist.

5. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments in a single stage, the thread of filaments being wetted with hot water during the actual insertion of the crepe twist.

6. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments in at least two stages, of which the final stage involves insertion of from twothirds to five-sixths of the total twist, and wetting the thread of filaments with hot water during the actual insertion of the twist in thefinal stage.

7. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, the thread of filaments being wetted with hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist, and the filaments of the thread being stretched so that the denier of the crepe twisted thread is 95- to of that of the thread before crepe twistmg.

8. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, and during at least the last part of the twisting passing the thread through hot water in a container having below the water level a small hole for the passage of the thread, so that the thread of filaments is wetted with the hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist, at least the last part of the twisting being efiected by the rotation of a package from which the thread is being drawn.

9. Process for the production of a highly twisted crepe thread of cellulose acetate filaments, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, and during at least the last part of the twisting passing the thread through hot water so that the thread of filaments is wetted with the hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist, at least the last part of the twisting being effected by rotation of a package on which the thread is being wound.

10. Process for the production of a crepe fabric, which comprises crepe twisting a thread of cellulose acetate filaments, the thread of filaments being wetted with hot water during the actual insertion of at least the last part of the crepe twist, incorporating the crepe twisted thread in a fabric, and thereafter subjecting the fabric to 5 a hot aqueous treatment.

HENRY DREYFUS; 130mm FINLAYSON. 

